Dating vintage clothing guide

Below is a brief timeline breaking down the different designs by period so that you can at least compare any of your older garments against this information to verify its age.

Further description (without images) available thanks to Ebay’s union label guide by ikwewe.

Because the top ranked search result for “union labels” is an Ebay guide sadly missing most of its original images, I decided to produce this post to give you updated materials for identifying ILGWU union labels in vintage women’s clothing.

This guide is on ILGWU union labels found in women’s clothing only — guides to union labels in women’s hats, lingerie and men’s clothing will be produced in the near future!

The scalloped circle has “INT’L LADIES GARMENT UNION WORKERS” written around a backdrop of ILGWU with AFL-CIO printed in white lettering in front.

There is no “R” for rights on the label (you see the R emerge in 1964).

Visit my article for 13 tips on dating vintage clothing labels!

I decided to tackle this article to create a compilation of union labels in one place on the Internet.

I plan on updating this article as soon as I gather these historical materials but for your immediate benefit, I’ll begin exploration of the ILGWU union labels at 1955.

HISTORY: The scalloped crest in front of a needle and thread was adopted in the ’50s.

If you see an ILGWU union label without one, you can conclude the garment was made pre-1950s.

Now take this for what its worth, but this is what they said, I’m not making it up!